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Traumatic Dissociation: Neurobiology and Treatment offers an advanced introduction to this symptom, process, and pattern of personality organization seen in several trauma-related disorders, including acute stress disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and the dissociative disorders. Our understanding of traumatic dissociation has recently been advanced by neuroimaging technology, empirically-based investigation, and an acknowledgment of its importance in psychopathology. The authors of this volume tie these findings together, tracking the condition from its earliest historical conceptualization to its most recent neurobiological understanding to provide even greater insight into traumatic dissociation and its treatment. Bringing together for the first time theoretical, cognitive, and neurobiological perspectives on traumatic dissociation, this volume is designed to provide both empirical and therapeutic insights by drawing on the work of many of the main contributors to the field. Opening chapters examine historical, conceptual, and theoretical issues and how other fields, such as cognitive psychology, have been applied to the study of traumatic dissociation. The following section focuses specifically on how neurobiological investigations have deepened our understanding of dissociation and concluding chapters explore issues pertinent to the assessment and treatment of traumatic dissociation. The interacting effects of traumatic experience, developmental history, neurobiological function, and specific vulnerabilities to dissociative processes that underlie the occurrence of traumatic dissociation are among some of the key issues covered. The book's significant contributions include A review of cognitive experimental findings on attention and memory functioning in dissociative identity disorder An appreciation of how the literature on hypnosis provides a greater understanding of perceptual processing and traumatic stress Ascertaining symptoms of dissociation in a military setting and in other situations of extreme stress An outline of key issues for planning assessment of traumatic dissociation, including a critique of its primary empirically supported standardized measures An examination of the association between child abuse or neglect and the development of eating disorders, suggesting ways to therapeutically deal with negative body experience to reduce events that trigger dissociation A description of neuroendocrine alterations associated with stress, pointing toward a better understanding of the developmental effects of deprivation and trauma on PTSD and dissociation A review of the relation of attachment and dissociation A discussion of new research findings in the neuroimaging of dissociation and a link between cerebellar functioning and specific peritraumatic experiences Useful as a clinical reference or as ancillary textbook, Traumatic Dissociation reorganizes phenomenological observations that have been overlooked, misunderstood, or neglected in traditional training. The research and clinical experience described here will provide the basis for further clinical and theoretical formulations of traumatic dissociation and will advance empirical examination and treatment of the phenomenon.

This training manual for pateints who have suffered severe trauma includes a short educational piece, homework sheets, and exercises that promote essential emotional and life skills.

Understanding Trauma and Dissociation is a groundbreaking guide to unraveling the mysteries of trauma and dissociation and offering real hope for the chance to heal. Dr. Lynn Karjala, a renowned therapist, provides a comprehensive understanding of the debilitating physical and psychological effects of trauma ... Her innovative approach employing both conventional and mind-body techniques for trauma treatment makes this book a must-read for anyone interested in helping trauma survivors heal and recover.--Publisher.

Dissociation in Traumatized Children and Adolescents presents a series of unique and compelling case studies written by some of the foremost international experts in the study of dissociation in young people. In the new edition, chapters have been updated to include discussion of the most recent findings in trauma and neuroscience as well as Joyanna Silberg’s popular affect-avoidance model. In addition, Sandra Wieland’s incisive commentaries on each case study have been updated. Each chapter presents a detailed narrative of a therapist's work with a child or adolescent interspersed with the therapist's own thought process, and every therapist explains the theory and research behind her clinical decisions. The case studies present many aspects of working with traumatized children—attachment work, trauma processing, work with the family, interactions with the community, psychoeducation related to dissociation, and encouragement of communication between the dissociated parts—and provide a frank analysis of the difficulties clinicians encounter in various therapeutic situations. While the book is exceptional in its clear and detailed descriptions of theory related to dissociation in children, most importantly, it illustrates how theory can be translated into successful therapeutic interactions.

Presentation of a major new diagnostic interview to assess chronic trauma-related disorders, in particular dissociative disorders. Written by a world-leading specialist in trauma-related dissociation, this book comprehensively describes the diagnosis of trauma-related disorders, taking up the many dilemmas around criteria in DSM-5 and ICD-11, symptom recognition, the role of traumatic experiences and of self-report questionnaires, as well as other topics. The book elaborates on the assessment of these disorders, using the diagnostic instrument Trauma and Dissociative Symptoms Interview (TADS-I), developed by the author over decades of work in the field. Several thematic chapters discuss key differential diagnostic considerations and illustrate them with case reports. Also discussed are the occurrence of false-negative and false-positive diagnoses of trauma-related dissociative disorders, the assessment of traumatic experiences, and the development of a treatment plan. This book is essential reading for clinicians who diagnose dissociative disorders (or want to learn), and useful for those who want to assist in better recognizing clients with dissociative symptoms and refer them for specialized testing. The complete TADS-I is included as an appendix.

Winner of the 2017 International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD) Pierre Janet Writing Award. Establishing safety and working with dissociative parts in complex trauma therapy. Therapists around the world ask similar questions and struggle with similar challenges treating highly dissociative patients. This book arose not only out of countless hours of treating patients with dissociative disorders, but also out of the crucible of supervision and consultation, where therapists bring their most urgent questions, needs, and vulnerabilities. The book offers an overview of the neuropsychology of dissociation as a disorder of non-realization, as well as chapters on assessment, prognosis, case formulation, treatment planning, and treatment phases and goals, based on best practices. The authors describe what to focus on first in a complex therapy, and how to do it; how to help patients establish both internal and external safety without rescuing; how to work systematically with dissociative parts of a patient in ways that facilitate integration rather than further dissociation; how to set and maintain helpful boundaries; specific ways to stay focused on process instead of content; how to deal compassionately and effectively with disorganized attachment and dependency on the therapist; how to help patients integrate traumatic memories; what to do when the patient is enraged, chronically ashamed, avoidant, or unable to trust the therapist; and how to compassionately understand and work with resistances as a co-creation of both patient and therapist. Relational ways of being with the patient are the backbone of treatment, and are themselves essential therapeutic interventions. As such, the book also focused not only on highly practical and theoretically sound interventions, not only on what to do and say, but places strong emphasis on how to be with patients, describing innovative, compassionately collaborative approaches based on the latest research on attachment and evolutionary psychology. Throughout the book, core concepts—fundamental ideas that are highlighted in the text in bold so they can be seen at a glance—are emphasized. These serve as guiding principles in treatment as well as a summing-up of many of the most important notions in each chapter. Each chapter concludes with a section for further examination. These sections include additional ideas and questions, exercises for practicing skills, and suggestions for peer discussions based on topics in a particular chapter, meant to inspire further curiosity, discovery, and growth.